Owen initially takes the position as cook at Bly Manor in order to stay close to home and take care of his ailing mother. As the series progresses, we learn the extent of her dementia and how she frequently confuses Owen with other family members. Owen ends up staying at Bly Manor a couple of nights in order to make sure Dani, Flora, Miles, and Hannah feel safe from Peter Quint — who everyone believes has come back to find Rebecca. During his stay, he gets a phone call from his neighbour who'd gone to check on his mother for him and learns that she has died from her condition.